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Sikh Austrian politician racially mocked for wearing a turban
Bajwa has become the target of racist taunts because of an election poster where he has been shown wearing a turban. The Austrian State security is already investigating the case.
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When Naranjan Singh Grewall, also known as “Giani”, became the first Indian ever elected to a political office outside independent India, not many could imagine that in the next 75 years, Indian Diaspora would produce national heads, including Prime Ministers, of the countries of their abode.
The problems he faced, including racial slurs, have remained unchanged in 75 years as Gurdial Singh Bajwa, a turbaned Sikh, contesting elections to the Austrian Parliament later this week, is facing now.
Grewall was born in the Malwa belt, Bajwa comes from the Doab. The former immigrated to B.C. in 1925 and in 1941 moved to Mission City, a small mill town in the Fraser Valley. Almost after a decade in the new city of his residence, Grewall decided to run for political office in 1950. He faced six other rivals in the Mission's board of commissioners election.
After being declared successful, he inserted an ad in the local newspaper: "Thank you all citizens of Mission City," the notice read. "It is a credit to this community to elect the first East Indian to public office in the history of our great dominion. It shows your broad-mindedness, tolerance and consideration."
He was elected to another two-year term in December 1952 and was unanimously elected chairman of the board by his fellow commissioners for the year 1954.
Continuing the good work done by members of the Indian Diaspora in Canada and the UK, now the community has started spreading its political influence in other parts of Europe.
On Sept. 29, when Austria elects its new Parliament, one of the candidates in the run for its membership is Gurdial Singh Bajwa. Representing the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), Bajwa will run for the Gaenserndorf and Bruck an der Leitha constituencies.
Bajwa’s run-up for the election is not without troubles related to his identity. He has become the target of racist taunts because of an election poster where he has been shown wearing a turban. The Austrian State security is already investigating the case.
Gurdial Singh Bajwa migrated to Austria from India with his parents at six. He has lived in Deutsch-Wagram for more than three decades. He has been involved in professional associations and local politics. Currently, he is vice-chairman of the transport and traffic division in the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and is the chairman of the SPÖ and a city councillor in his hometown.
The racial slur apart, Bajwa is getting full support from his party. "Gurdial Singh Bajwa is a textbook example of successful integration," explains SPÖ regional manager Wolfgang Zwander.
He elaborated, saying that the comrade with Indian roots was the victim of second-rate mockery on the Internet. After he was pictured wearing a turban on a poster for the National Council election, a hate video was posted, which also included racist comments: "Do you want to buy roses?" (sic!) or "He stands at Hofer and guards the shopping carts," can be read there.
The racist attacks on our party colleague Gurdial Singh Bajwa are disgusting and must be rejected in the strongest possible terms, says Sven Hergovich, regional party chairman of the SPÖ.
According to Austrian Media reports, It is not just party friends who are supporting Gurdial Singh Bajwa, others too are behind his candidature. "He supports clubs and has been fully integrated for many years," MP René Zonschits said. ÖVP mayor Ulla Mühl Hittinger also praised his commitment to the community: "He is involved in many areas of the municipality."
The State Office for State Security and Combating Extremism is investigating whether the video posting constitutes a criminal offence. The person who has been insulted shows his class: "I should be judged by my actions, not by my appearance!"
While Grewall was a pioneer in showing the way to fellow members of the Indian Diaspora on how to succeed in the politics of the countries of their adoption, Bajwa is seeking entrance to the mainstream politics of Austria.
Nearly 50 years after Grewall was elected to the Municipal Council of Mission City, British Columbia became the first province to have a migrant from Punjab, India, as its Premier in Ujjal Dosanjh.
In between, Gurbax Singh Malhi became the first turbaned Sikh to be elected to any Parliament outside India after his election to the Canadian House of Commons in October 1993.
Subsequently, Herb Dhaliwal also became the first ever member of the Indian Diaspora to serve as a Federal Minister of Oceans in Canada. As members of the Indian Diaspora continued to make rapid strides in the politics of countries of their adoption, Harjit Singh Sajjan earned the distinction of becoming Defence Minister of Canada followed by Anita Anand as the first woman of South Asian descent to head the Defence portfolio in Canada.
Canada has also seen the rise of Jagmeet Singh as the president of a major national political party. He heads the NDP, the third-largest political outfit in the Canadian House of Commons with 25 members.
In New Zealand, Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi became the first turbaned Sikh elected to Parliament and remained a member from 2008 to 2020.
Last month, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi became the first turbaned Sikh to be elected Chairman of the Defence Committee of the House of Commons in England. Before Dhesi’s elevation, it was Rishi Sunak, also a member of the Indian Diaspora, brought laurels to the community by rising to be the Prime Minister of Great Britain.
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